FAA announces new drone flight restrictions in New Jersey amid surge of sightings

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced nearly two dozen new temporary flight restrictions across the state of New Jersey.

The new development follows claims government agencies that the recent surge of drone sightings has been lawful and not a safety threat.

The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and other government agencies released a joint statement this week saying more than 5,000 drone sightings statewide investigated by the bureau ended up being small planes, hobbyist drones, helicopters, stars, or law enforcement aircraft.

The new sweeping flight restrictions mark the first public display of action since implementing two temporary flight restrictions, in Bedminster — near President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course — and the Picatinny Arsenal military research center, which went into effect weeks after the initial reports of drone sightings in mid-November.

Since then, the FAA and other investigating authorities have largely downplayed the sightings, verifying that drones — along with other aircraft — are in fact in the skies, but saying they aren’t a threat.

The FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The news comes on the heels of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) being blocked Wednesday from advancing a bill allowing law enforcement agencies to track aerial drones, ensuring Congress won’t act this year on the mysterious drone sightings that have bewildered residents of New Jersey and other eastern states.

Schumer sought unanimous consent to speed a bipartisan bill through the Senate, but Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, objected to its passage.

“The people in New York and New Jersey have a lot of questions, and they’re not getting good enough answers,” Schumer said. “The utter confusion surrounding these drone sightings shows that the feds can’t respond all on their own.”

Schumer has also called for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators.

National security officials say the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference or a public safety threat. Still, they haven’t been able to say if one group is responsible for recent surges in sightings across New Jersey and other part of the Northeast, or if the sightings are connected. Some elected officials, including Trump, have urged the agencies to take stronger actions against the drones, including shooting them down, which is illegal.

The 22 new temporary flight restrictions, in place until Jan. 17, each represent a radius of one nautical mile. They cite “special security reasons.” The previous restrictions in Bedminster and Picatinny Arsenal are categorized as “National Defense Airspace.” Those restrictions will remain in place until late December.

The FAA says pilots who violate the airspace may be “intercepted, detained, and interviewed by law enforcement.” Violators can also be subject to penalties including having their drone revoked or criminal charges. The FAA also warns against “deadly force” against violators who pose a threat. This language is typical for flight restrictions and not specific to the New Jersey drone sightings.

Here’s a list of the New Jersey cities with new temporary restrictions:

This article contains information from the Associated Press.